The Wild Rivers National Park is a fairly large national park in south
western Tasmania,
although most of it is
inaccessible unless you are a very experienced bushwalker.
There is a
beautiful scenic drive in the northern end of it, and access to short
bushwalks. The park protects Franklin, Gordon, Jane and Denison rivers
where you can go on river cruises and white water rafting. Here is some
information about the park, and in the end of the page is a map of the
area.
Temperate Rainforest Plants and Temperate Rainforest
Animals
The Franklin Gordon Wild Rivers National Park is Tasmanian World
Heritage Area, along with Cradle
Mountain Lake St Clair National Park
and the South
West National Park. This is
one of only three remaining wilderness areas with temperate rainforest
plants and animals in the Southern Hemisphere and it contains some
endemic species. Some temperate rainforest animals include echidna
and platypus,
Tasmanian
devils, common wombats
and ringtail possums.
The park entrance by FabioTemporiti via
Flickr.com
Access to the Park and Weather in Tasmania
The easiest access to the park is from the Lyell Highway in the north,
which is a beautiful drive with many picnic grounds along the road. At
the King William Saddle is the northeastern entrance to the park. In
the northwestern side is Nelson Valley 30min from Queenstown, and 44km
south of Queenstown is Bird River, another access point. The roads may
be slippery with ice and snow during the winter. Tasmanian weather is
very unpredictable so take care and be prepared for cold rainy weather
even during the summer months.
by Charlievdb
via Flickr.com
Camping in Franklin Gordon Wild Rivers National Park
The main visitor centre is at Franklin River. There are picnic tables,
toilets and park information there. There are camping grounds at
Collingwood River with fire places. Another camping area is at Kelly
Basin but there are no fire places there, and fire is prohibited in
most of the park to prevent bushfires. Closest places to buy food are
Lake St Clair and Queenstown. You can drink water from the streams in
the park only after you have boiled it.
by Simon Lieschke via Flickr.com
Short Walks in Franklin Gordon Wild Rivers National Park
There are both short and long walks in the park. The shortest ones are
Franklin River Nature Trail (5 - 25 minute walks), Donaghys Lookout (40
minutes return), and Nelson Falls (20 minutes return). A bit longer
walk is the walk to Kelly Basin (3 - 4 hours return). It follows the
Bird River south to Kelly Basin and Pillinger.
by Arthur Chapman via Flickr.com
Long Walk in Franklin Gordon Wild Rivers National Park
Frenchmans Cap walk is a long and demanding trip which is only suitable
for experienced bushwalkers. It starts west of the Franklin River
bridge where an easy stroll takes you to Franklin River. From here, it
will take you 4-5 days to the summit of the Frenchmans Cap and back.
This track is more demanding than many other Tasmanian bushwalks, such
as the Overland Track in the Cradle
Mountain Lake St Clair National Park.
So make sure you are experienced enough and very well prepared. You
have to carry all your food and gear with you. Bring warm clothes and
register yourself at the Walkers Registration at Franklin River for
your safety. There are two huts along the track where you can stay
overnight – Lake Vera Hut and Lake Tahune Hut. Don’t rely on their
availability though as they may be taken, so always carry your tent and
be prepared to camp on the camping grounds. The camping grounds along
the track are at Franklin River, Loddon River, Philps Creek, Lake Vera
and Lake Tahune. The estimated time to make it from the start of the
walk to the Lake Vera Hut is 6hrs; from Lake Vera to Lake Tahune
another 4hrs; and from Lake Tahune to the summit 1-2hrs, however these
times can vary depending on the weather conditions and your fitness.
by Arthur Chapman via Flickr.com
Other Activities in Franklin Gordon Wild Rivers National
Park
The Franklin and Gordon Rivers are also popular with other activities
such as river cruises and white water rafting. The white water rafting
and kayaking trips on Franklin River start at Collingwood. Nearest
accommodation, other than camping, is in Queenstown and St Lake Clair.
Been to Franklin Gordon Wild Rivers National Park?
Been to Franklin Gordon Wild Rivers National Park?
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